The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-22

enough ON the surface, but beneath
there are strong currents and counter.
currents, aud no one knows exactly
what may happen.
The most obvious change to be
looked for is one in the location OF the
clubs of the league and the sssocia
ton. Stories are sfloat all the time Of
great projects Of this sort. The league
Is to put club In Brooklyn, accordiog
to one report, and the association one
in New York. st. Louis Is to join the
league and Indianapolis is to be
dropped, If We may believe another;
and so the rumors run.
However much Of truth or fslsehood
there may be In such reports, changes
OF this sort would not aff, ct the game
itself, in Its character or it's reputation.
It makes less difference whether st.
Louis Is in the league or association
than whethsr the constitution of the
game itself Is to be changed. That
there ought to be such Q change
hardly admits OF question. The pres.
ent system has grown up a. the result
Of years OF experience. The man ayers
and directors OF clubs found out that
they could do better by uniting, and
they have continued their consolida.
ton policy, until now whole clubs are
sold like so many head Of stock, and
transferred from place to place like
the horses OF racing stable. The
reserve rule may have been necessary
to protect the clubs from each other,
but 1t has been cirried to an extreme.
A player who goes into any club
whatever, in the lssgueo or association,
signs away his liberty for as many
years as he can play ball at all. Once
signed by any club, he must always
play with that club, II It's managers so
choose, and the only resource, II his
salary doe, not suit him, Is to 20 into
some other business. II tbs directors
get good offer they may sell him to
some other ub, the sale being con.
Quoted without reference to any
wishes oil his own, and without any
perunisry benefit to him.
The players are beginning to grew
FESTIVE under this system. Some OF
them are men OF education, many are
men Of shrewd business sense. II is
q question bow long they will endure
to remain "chattels." II they ever
come to any agreement among them.
selves they may effect great change.
Suppose, for instance, that they were
to hold q convention next October,
and draw up and adopt "bill OF
rights" Suppose the directors OF the
league refused to grant II. Suppose,
further, that the players thereupon
should form q cooperative league OF
their Owl, apportion their own play.
ers and their territory, and begin next
seaaon On their own hook. What
would be the result2 Very likely
nothing Of the sort will be attempted
soon. 1t would be an immense under
taking. Still, such thing 10 by no
means impossible, and Ia case no
change Is made In the present consti.
tuition Of the league and the associs.
lion II is hardly Improbable.
Baseball Is new business, compar.
atively-less than twenty years old
and Its principles are not yet thor.
oughly determined. II 10 not yet past
the experimental stage in respect to
methods, Pecuniarily Il Ia q tremen.
dous success; but the relations be-
tween employers aud employer a.e
not yet settled, and are not likely 10
be until they are put upon q fairer
basis than the present one.